, 1887-01-19

CbOS Ad IItAJ 10 CUIlSIuoC was Wu6U ChUtSO
or justification could be offered for the Ian.
guage used. Mr.. Dillon had spoken with
singular ability and modesty, and had ad-
mitIed that the object he had III view was
to put c%OnStraint upon the landlords to
compel them to make reductions to their
tenants. This pressure was to be put on
them by depriving them of their rents,
which no person could deprive them of
contrary to law. The speeches of Mr..
Dillon showed much hostility to the land
lord, and proved that the agraEian OBJ.
ject was connected with an ulteriOr OBJ.
ject, with which, however, they had moth
ing to do. In one of the speeches Mr..
Dillon was not animated by a desire to get
the rents reduced, but by quite a different
one, and IN this, the MurrOe address, he
gave the audience his distinct sanction Of
resistance to the law. He had no doubt
whatever us TO the entire and honorable
integrity of Mr.. DillOn's declaration that
he was opposed to acts of violence; but
still he felt constrained to trace in his
language a certain reservation in his own
mind in favour of physical force i'll what
he considers q defensive course. This
MurrOe speech was a most powerful one,
and the purity of Mr.. Dillon's motives ad-
ded to its force. 1t was not with the Ian.
guage alone OF Mr.. Dillon they were con-
cerned, but the danger to the public peace
arising from Mr.. DillOn's acts. His Lana
guage was used to PROFOUND and promote
a plan Of action which unQueStionably had
the effect of arranging against each other
the two great classes between whom the
surface of this island was divided. Such
a hing was criminal; it WAS dangerous,
and a conflict inevitably would arise as
violent as that which would arise in the
presence of two hostile armies; "a conflict
which in it's dimensions aud extent would
be almost a social war. The organisation
which Mr.. Dillon had recommended with
so much power, eloquence, and sincerity
of conviction was not merely a combination
not to pay rent, but it was a combination
that sought to carry out, amongst other
objects, to receive rents from those whose
duty it was to pay them, to place them in
other hands subject to loss, waste, and
risk, and to devote these rents to other
objects than those to which by law they
should be devoted. 1t also precluded the
parties so combining from any change in
their position might other wise lead them
to adopt. The law admitted of no doubt
as to the character of the organisation. 1t
was clearly, distinctly, and absolutely il.
legal They had no shadow of doubt in
coming to this conclusion. This was no
ordinary case. Here they had a leader of
great political power and authority, and,
being such, he Judge OBrien) entertained
no doubt whatever that he was properly
brought before the supreme authority of
their Court. In beng called on to exer.
else their authOritythey were not called upon
20 exercise the authority vested in them by
forgotten statutes, but to exercise All iDhe-
rem authority vested in them by reason of
their undoubted function to preserve the
peace and maintain the law of the Country.
For the reasons he had stated he consid-
cred they were bound to exercise the pow.
er they had of restraining the violation of
the law, and no member of that Court
would ever be found to finch from exer.
cising that power by any piece of insult
used towards him. They should, i'm his
opinion, use that poSTer to restrain the
evil consequences to the public peace aris-
ing from the language complained of.
Mr.. Justice johnson said the plan adv0-
Gated by Mr.. Dillon was not restricted to
tenants, and was applicable to all CLASSES.
Therefore it struck at the rO0t of all com
mercial security Such. language tended
to social disruption, disorder, and breach
of civil contracts. a,Th9 decreeoof the
Court was that within twelve .days.M Mr..
Dillon should enter into sureties to be, Of
good behaviour-himselfi in $1,000 and two
securities to the same amount. or in de-